


Like a Ghost

by junko



Series: Scatter and Howl [4]
Category: Bleach
Genre: Food, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-22
Updated: 2015-01-22
Packaged: 2018-03-08 15:37:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,420
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3214475
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/junko/pseuds/junko
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Renji manages to hustle Mayuri out of the Sixth Division before Byakuya gets back.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Like a Ghost

Renji managed to hustle Mayuri and Nemu out of the Division before Byakuya got back. 

It was tough to find Aunt Masama’s address… addresses, it turned out. Well, not tough so much as vaguely felonious. Renji knew he crossed a line when he used his old Inuzuri picking skills to jimmy the lock on the cabinet to retrieve Byakuya’s private address book. Not that Mayuri even flinched to watch him do it. Copying the addresses down, Renji was surprised to discover that Masama’s main estate was actually out in the Rukongai. As he told Mayuri, given her attitude toward that place, it was far likelier that she’d be in residence at the ‘summer house’ inside the Seireitei. 

Renji felt a second, sharp stab of guilt at the gate, when he waved them off with a, “Have fun!”

But, Mayuri wouldn’t really do anything untoward toward the old lady, would he? He couldn’t, Renji reassured himself. She was a high-profile Kuchiki. You don’t disappear someone like that easily. Moreover, she didn’t even have any spiritual pressure to speak of, so it wasn’t like Mayuri’d be all that interested in… “studying” her, right?

 _Right_ , Renji told himself, he was just sending the creepy captain to give Masama a fright. 

A well-deserved fright, in Renji’s humble opinion.

Even so, Renji jumped when Byakuya appeared in front of him. The captain dropped out of shunpō, materializing like a ghost, his white haori billowing up behind him. Renji nearly confessed to everything when Byakuya started, “Renji, have you…” but, swallowed it all back, when he finished, “Had dinner yet?”

“Uh… no,” Renji said, with one last guilty glance at the gate Mayuri had passed through moments earlier. “I had a few beers across the street, but I figured you might want company.”

Byakuya started for the back gate and Renji fell into step, a pace behind. “I’m afraid our company will include my family. I was able to send them off last night to the theater, but I can’t avoid them any longer. It’s best if we present a united front tonight. Rumors of Isoruku’s arrest will be circulating.”

Wiping a hand over his face, Renji wished he could rub some fortitude into his expression or pull something blank like Byakuya always did. “Cripes, I almost managed to forget about all that.”

“My family will remind you,” Byakuya said. “Early and often.”

Renji noticed they were also garnering a few glances from the people they passed as they moved through the Division. No one was going to let them forget much of anything today, it seemed. At least the soldiers all continued to snap to attention at the sight of their captain. Renji gave them a nod of approval. It was early days yet; maybe people would get used to the idea of them being together. With any luck, someone else would give people something better to gossip about or the Seireitei would get invaded again…

Cripes, things were bad when you were hoping for a war to distract people.

Renji tried to school his grimace as they passed through the back gate into the estate grounds. 

“I take it your shift was excitement free?” Byakuya said. 

“Eh, so-so,” Renji said.

He considered keeping the Mayuri stuff to himself, but decided that was stupid. Someone would eventually say something to Byakuya and then Renji’d be in deep shit professionally… and personally. But, he figured he could work up to that slowly. Maybe he’d leave a few things out--like the whole address thing. For now, anyway.

Shoving his hands into the pockets of his hakama, Renji started: “I got a lot of paperwork done. You’re going to have a ton of things to approve in the morning, but some of it is stuff I haven’t had a chance to really deal with since coming back from Hueco Mundo. So, that’s good, I guess. Let’s see, there was a bit of trash talk in the dojo about the fraternization that I had to shut down. And, uh, oh yeah, Captain Kurotsuchi came sniffing around.”

“Damn that man,” Byakuya said easily, like he almost expected the news. “He has no patience at all. I told him I would see him tomorrow.”

Okay. So Mayuri told the truth; Byakuya lied.

“So… you really are planning to give him my Soul Record?” Renji tried to keep the note of hurt of out his voice, so it came out sounding a bit belligerent.

“Ah.” Having grown so used to Byakuya’s taciturn ways, Renji could almost hear the ‘oh shit’ in that single syllable. “Of course, you’re right,” Byakuya continued. “I suppose it isn’t truly mine to give.”

Byakuya stopped. They were in the garden. The morning’s flurries hadn’t melted and snow covered everything like a shroud. Their footsteps the first to break the still, empty blanket of whiteness. Byakuya had walked this way so many times that he knew where to step to stay on the path. 

Renji was about to say ‘Damn straight it’s not yours,’ but Byakuya spoke first, “However, I’ve determined all the information came from the Twelfth in the first place. There is nothing in it that they don’t already possess, Renji.”

Byakuya was actually looking at him, which Renji considered a sign of sincerity. So, Renji closed his mouth. Byakuya admitted he’d screwed up--at least in that not-an-actual-apology way he had. Maybe Byakuya just didn’t think through how it might feel to know your most personal information was being handed off to that creepy Division, even if it did come from there in the first place. 

Okay, that was reasonable.

Maybe.

But why was Byakuya talking to Mayuri at all?

“Yeah, okay,” Renji agreed cautiously. Casting out a wide net, he said, “Captain Kurotsuchi did say something about his personal notes and being insulted that you didn’t think he had complete information--or, something like that?”

“I did.” Byakuya admitted. “I knew such an accusation would motivate him to speak to me.”

“Yeah, well, that part worked all right,” Renji said. “It motivated him right on over here.”

“Indeed,” Byakuya said with a little smile, like he was hoping he was forgiven. “I’m glad you were here to rebuff him.”

“Yeah, well.” Renji tried not to look guilty about that, because he started getting a picture of how all this all went down with Mayuri and he wasn’t liking it—not one bit. “I thought you said you were going to burn those stupid papers. But, you must’ve called Mayuri straight away for him to get over here so fast. Now, why would you do that?” It didn’t take long for Renji to guess. “You’re trading the papers for more information about me, aren’t you?”

Byakuya’s mouth opened and, at the same time, his eyes slid away. 

Seeing that, Renji was pretty sure whatever was going to get said next wasn’t going to make him happy. 

“Forget it,” Renji said before Byakuya could speak. “I just—Don’t fucking breathe a word of it to me. I really don’t want to know. Knock yourself out digging through my soul, if that’s what you really want to do. I think it’s an incredibly bad idea. I can’t see how that would ever help the two of us, especially with the problems we already have. But, I guess, you know what?--it’s too late, anyway. You already read it. Maybe it’s better if you get whatever questions answered.”

Renji let out a breath, feeling his shoulders slumping in defeat. In the fading light, the shadow the main building of the estate cast was long and deep. Gods, how he dreaded the idea of going up there and having to grit his teeth and listen to people muttering into their sleeves about how he was some filthy dog pissing on the lord of the manor.

And knowing that, the whole time, Byakuya would be thinking about whatever the fuck it said in that damn Soul Record. With their constant harping, how could Byakuya fail to start to see it? 

The difference between them.

Wasn’t it Byakuya who first made that clear? ‘I’ll tell you, shall I? It’s class.’ 

It’s breeding. 

It’s where you were born. 

What you are, deep in your bones.

Renji almost thought _‘trash,’_ but, before he could, Zabimaru growled over him: _Strong!_

“Yeah, see, that’s the thing that pisses me off the most,” Renji said as though Byakuya could hear Zabimaru’s protests. His hand fell to caress the grip of his zanpakutō as he said softly, “It don’t take a genius, you know? I noticed right away. Your bankai is just Senbonzakura--only more, and Senbonzakura itself is so clean, so sharp. Simple, really.” Byakuya’s eyes flashed up at that, and Renji quickly added, “Not in an insulting way, but, like, a pure thought, a pure idea, right? Pure. My Zabimaru… he’s huge and cumbersome and clumsy and destructive. I know what you see when you look at him—all bone and fang. I’m not stupid. I saw the ceros in Heuco Mundo; I know Baboon Bone Canon ain’t much different. But, that’s just it, isn’t it? I won’t be made ashamed of the only thing in my life I’ve ever had to be proud of. My Zabimaru is the only part of my soul worth anything.”

“Renji,” Byakuya said finally. “Stop. Stop putting words in my mouth.”

They’d been standing there long enough that Renji’s feet had gotten cold. “All right. Fine,” Renji said, shifting a little to try to bring back some warmth to his toes. “You saying you’re not thinking that stuff? So what are you thinking?”

“I’m thinking we’re going to be late for dinner,” Byakuya said. Then, he turned on his heels and headed toward the estate.

Renji could see that Eishirō waited at the doorstep with warm blankets, but he hesitated. “That’s what you’re going to say? We’re late for dinner?”

Over his shoulder, Byakuya explained. “You’ve explicitly told me not to tell you anything about the Soul Record. I can hardly say a word without confirming or denying the contents. You’ve put me in a bind. How am I meant to reassure you if I can say nothing regarding your suspicions?”

Shit. Only Byakuya would take a promise to this level of seriousness. Fuck if it wasn’t one of his charms, though. Renji scurried to catch up to where Byakuya was just accepting the blanket around his shoulders. 

Byakuya was right, in a way. If Renji wanted to know what the hell had prompted Byakuya to go to Mayuri, it would mean finding out what was in that fucking Soul Record—at least partly.

Did he want that?

He hadn’t wanted to know even a peep because he’d been afraid knowing would change how he felt about himself.

But, look at him. Truth was, how he felt was already all mixed up.

Damn that woman, anyway. 

Renji hoped she was shitting through every layer of kimono at the sight of Mayuri at her door right now.

Renji accepted the blanket from Eishirō. The heat felt amazing. Thanking Eishirō, he left his shoes in the antechamber.

The three of them walked together down the hall. Though Renji and Byakuya had technically come in the back door, it was the master’s entrance, not the servants'. Kaku-andon, square paper and lacquered wood floor lanterns, lined the walkway at regular intervals, lighting their way in the evening darkness. After the stark coldness of outside, the lamplight was warm and cozy. The vegetable oil used to fuel them had been scented with something calming, too, like lavender. 

Renji’d never managed to find a bandana, and today was not a day to be sitting at the big table sporting his ink. He reached up and undid his hair. Running his fingers through his stiff locks to try to get them to behave, Renji considered the problem. 

“Okay,” he said without preamble, “I guess you have to tell me at least some of what is in that stupid thing. I didn’t want to know, because I guess I thought, if I didn’t know the details, I could keep it from touching me. But, it’s too late, isn’t it? I’m going to be jumping at every shadow. I mean, listen to me out there in the garden, I already am.”

Byakuya stopped at the door to the dining room. Signaled for Eishirō to wait a moment before announcing them, he turned to Renji. Looking up at him, Byakuya adjusted Renji’s hair and collar as he spoke, “Are you sure about this? I thought the decision not to read the Record was very wise of you.”

“Yeah, but you read it, didn’t you?” Renji blew away a bit of hair that fell into his eyes after Byakuya’s fussing. “It’s no good when one of us knows and the other doesn’t. I’m going to be always wondering what you’re thinking when you look at me.”

Byakuya smiled slightly, his eyelashes fluttering down a bit flirtatiously. “I think many things when I look at you.”

“Heh,” Renji smiled. He might have gone in for a kiss, if Eishirō’s little cough hadn’t reminded him that they were standing in front of the door to the dining room where almost literally all of Byakuya’s family was waiting.

Byakuya’s sigh seemed to be the signal to Eishirō. Dropping to his knees, Eishirō announced their arrival. Renji would have headed down, too, if Byakuya hadn’t grabbed his arm. Byakuya said quietly, “We walk in together, like going into a battle.”

The door opened. Renji let Byakuya take the first step forward and followed him, his head high. They swept in, just as Byakuya said they would, like they were seizing their seats from a hostile force. 

Renji was so focused on not meeting anyone’s eye and following Byakuya’s lead that they were already at the table before he noticed Rukia standing up to greet them. The heir was there, as well as a couple of other people sat at the ‘big table’ that Renji didn’t know well, a young woman in Academy red, an older man—very Kuchiki-looking, who might be the young woman’s father. Though with the way souls aged, Renji really couldn’t be sure. He thought maybe he’d met them both once, accidentally—in the middle of an argument? Hirako might be the young cadet’s name, but his mind pulled a blank. Luckily, Byakuya introduced them both again, more formally.

“May I present my lieutenant, Renji Abarai. The young cadet is my cousin Hirako Kuchiki, and her father Hayate Kuchiki.” 

Renji nodded to the cadet, but went into a low bow for the elder Kuchiki. There just weren’t a lot of people with the actual surname in the family, so the dad, Hayate, was probably fairly closely related. 

“It’s a pleasure to meet you both,” Renji said as formally as he knew how.

With that over, everyone sat down. Glancing around the table, Renji tried to decide what he was going to do once food started arriving. The military held a good number of seats, as it were, thanks to Rukia having opted for uniform tonight, and so, in that case, it would be cadet’s job to serve food and drink. 

But, everything got a bit confusing if you considered the number of Kuchiki—there were four of them--five, if you counted the heir as a soon to be Kuchiki. In that case, Renji should serve. 

It was hard to know which was the smarter move. On one hand, Byakuya had said they should stand side-by-side, like a military unit. No doubt, Byakuya wanted to present a martial image to his family in order to remind people that Isoroku had assaulted a high-ranking officer—a vice-captain, one step down from the highest achievable rank in the Gotei, with the exception of Captain Commander.

But on the other hand, being a bit demur for the sake of peace could go a long way. If Renji showed that he had respect for the Kuchiki name even over his own rank…?

Fuck. He was just going to keep his hands on his knees and hope to hell someone else gave him the nod or something so he’d know what to do.

As it was, he wasn’t even sure he was supposed to look at the Kuchiki. So, he kept his head down and stared at his hands. 

Why had he agreed to dinner? He should have stayed at the bar and had a fuck-load more beers.

Renji’s knees already protested seiza. He had no idea how Rukia managed to sit like this for so long. Practice, he supposed. The Gotei only expected proper sitting from him on rare occasions. He could do it; he’d just lose feeling in his lower legs. He wasn’t built for this kind of life. 

Maybe he wasn’t built for it, period. Like, if he was a Hollow before—he wasn’t even the same species as some of the people at this table. Weirdly, that made Renji smile. After all, he didn’t imagine Hollows sitting down to tea and fucking worrying about who got served by whom. It’d be a free for all, a mad grab to get the best bits before the other guy.

Heh, not unlike dinner at the Eleventh.

Which brought him back to his original thought: not one of those thugs was a “pure soul.” All of them came up out of the Rukongai, just like he had—meaning all them used to be Hollow, too. 

Nah, Zaraki must’ve been a fucking Vasto Lorde--or whatever stood at the pinnacle before Aizen started fucking with them. 

The appetizers arrived. Everyone had their own plate, which seemed to contain a tiny bit of marinated squid, a single peeled and deveined shrimp piece, and some scallions. Okay, this was going to be gone in one bite. Alas, the servant also deposited a carafe of something to drink.

Which sat in the center of the table, waiting.

Renji glanced pointedly at the cadet. He planned to give the Kuchiki girl a ten count. If she didn’t reach for it, he’d do it.

But, he didn’t even get past two. The second she noticed Renji looking at her, she gave a nod like she understood, and picked it up and started to pour. She started with Byakuya, of course, but then hesitated. To Renji’s utter surprise, she veered towards her father, but then broke off to serve Renji next. Then, Rukia, and then the heir, and her father last.

A dis to the dad?

Were they still fighting? Or was that exactly the right thing to do? She’d gone down the military ranks and then made some kind of decision about the standing between the heir and her father. 

Since she couldn’t serve herself, Renji decided to show his appreciation for her taking up the burden and poured hers. He was surprised to see the heir reaching for the bottle… because that seemed weird. Oh, wait, were they engaged to be married now? Byakuya had said something about a marriage contract. Ah, well, he’d cover with, “How are you enjoying Academy, cadet?”

“Oh, very well, sir. Thank you,” she said. “In fact, I was just telling cousin Rukia how wonderful it is to finally have a chance to pursue my studies.”

“Studies? You’ve already got studies?” 

“Cousin Hirako has an interest in metallurgy, as well as chemistry and several other scientific matters,” Byakuya explained. 

She beamed. Her father made an unhappy noise. 

“I’m impressed,” Renji said, ignoring the dad. He decided his general approach to the unknown Kuchiki factor at the table was a strict ‘do not engage’ order. If the guy insulted the Gotei, Academy or anything like that, Renji decided to let Byakuya deal with it. “Science was never my best subject.”

The dad made a little snort like he didn’t think Renji was capable of having any best subjects. Renji was going to let it slide, having purposefully shoved the minute appetizer into his mouth so he wouldn’t be tempted. Byakuya, however, jumped in quickly and decisively, “Ah, perhaps my esteemed relative is unfamiliar with the fact that my lieutenant graduated his class with top honors.”

Renji gave a little embarrassed tug on his ear. “I was lucky to pass kidō.”

“Yet you did,” Byakuya pointed out. “I’ve long maintained you could have mastered more of it had Aizen been a proper captain and had Zaraki not be so ridiculously against its use.”

Renji gave Rukia a ‘help me out here’ look because he really didn’t want to talk about himself like this at the Kuchiki table. But, it was the cousin who asked, “You served Kenpachi Zaraki? What was that like, if I may ask, sir?”

“Uh, bloody?” Renji said, not sure what she was looking for. “You’re not looking to place with the Kenpachi, are you?”

“Dear gods, say that’s not true,” the father breathed.

“I understand that scientists usually end up in the Twelfth,” Hirako said, mostly ignoring her dad, though she did give him a ‘please, as if!’ eye roll. “But, it’s been suggested that the Twelfth might not be the best fit for me.” She glanced at Rukia, “For… reasons.”

Rukia must have mentioned the tendency that Twelfth soldiers had for waking up with a belly full of bomb.

Renji nodded, taking a sip of the drink. He’d been expecting sake, but, if it was, it had a strong plum flavor that went really well with what he remembered of the appetizer. “Well, Kenpachi doesn’t recruit. Pretty sure he’d be interested in anyone who came to Academy with shikai, but… uh,” how did Renji point out that maybe being a noblewoman might not be a big selling point. “They harassed me non-stop for being Academy educated. So, you know. I’d pick a place that might respect your science stuff more.”

“Like the Fourth,” dad and Byakuya offered almost instantly.

Rukia and Renji exchanged ‘the fuck?’ expressions. Rukia asked, “The Fourth, nii-sama?”

Just as Renji figured it out, “Oh, right, because they don’t fight. Like: ever.”

Now it was Renji’s turn to get the ‘WTF’ look. Byakuya’s eyebrows were raised and Rukia’s mouth hung open a little. Even Hirako, her dad, and the heir were looking at Renji to explain what he meant. Only, he didn’t really want to say, because what he’d meant was that it was typical of Byakuya to want to protect his relative by sticking them in some backwater division. 

So, Renji backpedaled. “Uh, what I meant was that you’d have time for studying, uh, I guess….?” Except that wasn’t how it worked at all. “…When you weren’t nursing the injured or on KP in someone else’s division. Yeah, no, Byakuya, do you really mean to send your cousin to be the scullery maid of the Gotei?”

Byakuya looked startled. “Ah, yes, indeed. I always forget the Fourth are required to do such duties. They’re rarely here as we have support staff for much of that.”

 _Except when we have prisoners to feed and cells to sweep_ , Renji thought, with a glance at Rukia. She seemed to be remembering Hanataro, too, because her face took on a wistful expression.

He still needed to buy that kid lunch one of these days for saving his life. If Hanataro and Richiki hadn’t been there right after Byakuya bankai’d Renji’s ass, he’d be dead right now, going through the great recycle, getting to be a Hollow again... or whatever.

“There’s a squad that’s required to be the servants of the other Divisions?” Shinobu asked.

Just then, the household servants came with the next course: a bowl of miso with shitake mushroom, carrot, spinach, and a largish ball of minced sea urchin. Renji decided to leave that one to Byakuya as he tucked in.

“Yes,” Byakuya said simply. “I’ve no idea why or how this practice came to be. I suppose it’s meant as some kind of gratitude to the fighting divisions. Though I should think the lives they save as healers should be payment enough.” Byakuya turned to Renji, “You don’t suppose Unohana is paying off some debt owed, do you?”

Renji shrugged, dropping the bowl from his mouth long enough to say, “I can’t imagine what it would be. Though, you know, I did always think it was weird that they’re expected to be so deferential to everyone, even people they outrank.”

“What would Unohana have to apologize for?” Rukia wondered aloud, after taking a delicate sip from her soup. “And for so long? And her whole division paying for it, too?”

“She is very old,” Byakuya reminded them. “Perhaps some past sin?”

Renji shook his head, setting down the now empty bowl. “Captain Unohana? She’s the sweetest.” But, then he remembered the fire in her eye when she went to bat for him against Isoroku, “If a little fierce. Still, I can’t imagine what she’d’ve done.”

“Nor I,” Byakuya agreed.

“A mystery,” the heir said with a little smile.

More food arrived. This time it was the fish course: flame-broiled mackerel, a piece of lemon, sea bream sushi, and an apricot in honey syrup. Everyone was quiet for a moment or two as they ate.

“You seem uninjured, Lieutenant Abarai,” the dad said, apropos of nothing.

But Renji knew what he was getting at. This was to do with Isoroku. No doubt seeing the size of him, the Kuchiki father couldn’t imagine how things went down in the sento. Even though he wasn’t sure how to reply, Renji opened his mouth.

“Some injuries are not visible to the eye,” Byakuya said smoothly, not looking up from his fish. 

“Ah,” Hirako’s dad said, “But is it common for lieutenants of the Gotei to jail someone due to wounded pride?”

Renji really wanted to jump up and strangle the guy, but that wouldn’t exactly help their case, so he kept his head down. He focused on slicing the fish into bite-sized pieces.

Plus, he really didn’t want to see Rukia’s face or have to answer the questions he was sure would be in her eyes.

“Isoroku did more than insult my lieutenant,” Byakuya said. “But the extent of Isoroku’s transgressions are hardly a subject for polite dinner conversation in mixed company. Should you have questions regarding the details, they can be answered in private.”

An intense, hostile silence fell.

Whelp. That was a conversation killer.

Renji hoped like hell that the next several courses came with a liberal application of sake.

**Author's Note:**

> Conversation will continue, because: awkward dinner is awkward!
> 
> (Thanks to Josey for typo-ing, etc.)


End file.
